BACKGROUND: Rates of tuberculosis (TB) transmission in prisons are reported to be high worldwide. However, a recent systematic review identified only 19 published studies reporting TB incidence in prisons, most of them from the last century and only one from sub-Saharan Africa. OBJECTIVES: To assess the persisting risk of smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) among prison populations benefiting from a comprehensive TB/HIV control programme in Cameroon, compared with that in the community. METHODS: This descriptive and prospective study evaluated PTB incidence rates over a 1-year period. The study population was inmates of 10 major prisons, sampled by convenience, comprising about 45% of the country's prison population. As PTB incident cases, all prisoners with incident PTB after a prison stay of > or = 90 days were considered. The prison TB incidence rate was compared with that of the corresponding male population in the community. RESULTS: The mean annual PTB incidence in Cameroonian prisons in this study was 1 700 cases in 100 000 person-years at risk, the incidence rate ratio being 9.4 (95% confidence interval 8.1-10.9). CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that internationally recommended prison TB control measures alone may not help protect prisoners from within-prison spread of TB. Imprisonment policies and conditions therefore require fundamental changes.
BACKGROUND: Rates of tuberculosis (TB) transmission in prisons are reported to be high worldwide. However, a recent systematic review identified only 19 published studies reporting TB incidence in prisons, most of them from the last century and only one from sub-Saharan Africa. OBJECTIVES: To assess the persisting risk of smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) among prison populations benefiting from a comprehensive TB/HIV control programme in Cameroon, compared with that in the community. METHODS: This descriptive and prospective study evaluated PTB incidence rates over a 1-year period. The study population was inmates of 10 major prisons, sampled by convenience, comprising about 45% of the country's prison population. As PTB incident cases, all prisoners with incident PTB after a prison stay of > or = 90 days were considered. The prison TB incidence rate was compared with that of the corresponding male population in the community. RESULTS: The mean annual PTB incidence in Cameroonian prisons in this study was 1 700 cases in 100 000 person-years at risk, the incidence rate ratio being 9.4 (95% confidence interval 8.1-10.9). CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that internationally recommended prison TB control measures alone may not help protect prisoners from within-prison spread of TB. Imprisonment policies and conditions therefore require fundamental changes.
Authors: Y Merid; Y Woldeamanuel; M Abebe; D G Datiko; T Hailu; G Habtamu; G Assefa; R R Kempker; H M Blumberg; A Aseffa Journal: Int J Tuberc Lung Dis Date: 2018-05-01 Impact factor: 2.373
Authors: Lilanganee Telisinghe; Salome Charalambous; Stephanie M Topp; Michael E Herce; Christopher J Hoffmann; Peter Barron; Erik J Schouten; Andreas Jahn; Rony Zachariah; Anthony D Harries; Chris Beyrer; Joseph J Amon Journal: Lancet Date: 2016-07-14 Impact factor: 79.321
Authors: Katie R Maggard; Sisa Hatwiinda; Jennifer B Harris; Winifreda Phiri; Annika Krüüner; Kaunda Kaunda; Stephanie M Topp; Nathan Kapata; Helen Ayles; Chisela Chileshe; German Henostroza; Stewart E Reid Journal: Bull World Health Organ Date: 2015-02-01 Impact factor: 9.408
Authors: Stephanie M Topp; Clement N Moonga; Constance Mudenda; Nkandu Luo; Michael Kaingu; Chisela Chileshe; George Magwende; Jody S Heymann; German Henostroza Journal: Int J Equity Health Date: 2016-09-26